Prospect Profile: CB Kyler Gordon

Kyler Gordon, cornerback from Washington, is declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft as a redshirt junior. Gordon played 12 games in the 2021 season, recording 45 tackles, 2 interceptions and 7 pass breakups. He has good size for a corner at 6’0” and 194 pounds.  

Gordon has great speed for his height, running a 4.52 at the NFL combine. He shows tremendous body control and agility – in large part due to his childhood in kung fu, dance, and ballet – seriously.

He’s well-equipped to play either cornerback or nickel in the NFL because of his athleticism and size.

Unlike his teammate, Trent McDuffie, Gordon isn’t very polished in coverage, but he makes up for it because he’s an elite athlete with a high motor. And, having the raw talent means he has the base of a great player in the secondary. He uses his long frame to cover bigger players and is able to use his quickness to cover smaller, quicker, players in coverage. Here’s Gordon making a beautiful recovery after letting the wideout get a clean release in press coverage:

Being physical and having that alpha mindset makes him a fit in the Sean McDermott mold. McDermott loves a defensive back that can tackle, and the zone base defense makes it a necessity. Gordon’s a good tackler who’s not afraid to put his hat in the mix. He brings experience lining up both outside and in the slot, surrendering zero touchdowns on 354 coverage snaps from both spots last season. He is great at disrupting passes with his long arms and not allowing passes to get around him.  

The major reason Gordon could be taken by the Bills is due to their need for a cornerback. Tre’Davious White is coming off of an ACL tear that could sideline him until possibly November, and the Bills still need to fill the hole in the cornerback two spot due to Levi Wallace being picked up by the Steelers this offseason.  

Pros

A full-bodied cornerback with strength, length, and the ability to line up against bigger pass catchers. He plays aggressively, not afraid to check receivers in press coverage or to come up and make a tackle. He’s a natural athlete, so he has good ball skills when it’s in the air.

Cons

He has average foot quickness and lacks a burst out of breaks. He’s a long strider who has trouble sinking hips to get in and out of breaks while at full speed.  He has unpredictability in zone coverage at times – jumping around, which leads to a lack of fair distribution of coverage.

With just a few tweaks to technique, Gordon will be able to check NFL level receivers and he has the flexibility to play both inside and outside due to his athletic assets.